Several Arrested at Frank Ogawa Plaza Again

Several arrests were made at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland late Wednesday night, an Oakland police officer said.

Although Oakland police Officer A. Frye could not provide the specific number of arrestees, he confirmed that several people who had been congregated at the plaza where Occupy Oakland demonstrators have been keeping vigil were arrested on unknown charges.

An Occupy Oakland alert message reported "60 cops in riot gear just swooped through the plaza and made indiscriminate arrests" just before 11:30 p.m.

Just before midnight an online live stream showed a group of about 15 people deciding to march to a nearby jail to support protesters who had been arrested.

All law enforcement officers had left the plaza by 12:10 a.m. Thursday morning, Frye said.

The arrests follow a dispute between protesters and city police and officials after protesters obtained a permit to erect a teepee on the plaza on Nov. 29, with the condition that they take it down at 10 p.m. every night. They can then erect it again at 6 a.m. every morning.

Earlier this week, police and city officials revoked the permit because they say protesters have violated many of the permit's conditions, such as storing personal belongings, including sleeping bags and food, erecting garbage cans and distributing food without health permits.

Legal representation for Occupy Oakland maintains the group has not violated conditions set by city officials with their teepee and daily vigil at the plaza near City Hall.